Presentation by Mark Palmer. How to implement web accessibility in your organisation. Overview of the potential obstacles and suggestions for overcoming them.

1. Creating a culture of accessibility

2. Mark Palmer
Accessibility Consultant
@caledoniaman
shout@markpalmer.org

3. "The power of the web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an
essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee

4. // Lack of awareness & desire
// Scale of change
// Multiple content owners
// Offsite or third party development
// Ignore, ignore. PANIC.
// Limited access to users and assistive technology

5. // WCAG? W3C? WTF?
// A little knowledge is more dangerous than none
// Multiple content owners
// Offsite or third party development
// Ignore, ignore. PANIC.
// Limited access to users and assistive technology

6. // Where to start?
// Legacy systems and interfaces
// Use of legacy browsers for internal systems

7. // Multiple content owners
// Marketing – brand
// Comms – content
// Development team – new applications
// Limited control over what can be achieved

8. // Third parties often add complications
// Design agencies with no awareness
// Unwillingness to admit a lack of
understanding
// Late visibility of developed products
// Expensive to ‘fix’ accessibility issues
// Shunted to a ‘Phase 2’

9. // Accessibility is commonly not considered until
late in the development cycle or post launch
// More expensive to fix issues at this point
// More likely to be subject to compromise
// Issues treated as ‘defects’ rather than failure to
meet requirements

10. // Difficulty gaining access to real users
// Assistive technology can be expensive
// Limitations around installing assistive software
// Difficult to ensure AT remains current

11. THAT’S PLENTY

12. // Don’t be a Superhero
// Pick your battles
// Focus energies where the greatest impact can
be made
// Start with the website and new development

13. // Teach. Talk to anyone who will listen.
// Raise awareness of the barriers and the real
people experiencing them
// Make accessibility the responsibility of
everyone
// Developers
// Content managers
// Marketing and Communications teams
// Director level

15. // It’s not all about A or AA, compliance or not
// It’s about making products and services easier
to use
// Encourage incremental accessibility
// WCAG as the carrot, not the stick
// Focus on the user experience, not guidelines
and violations

16. “Access is always about architecture and never about human beings”- John Hockenberry

17. // As developers - take control
// Forgiveness not permission
// Create a toolkit for developers
// Colour contrast analyser
// NVDA screen reader
// Keyboard navigation

18. // Go do it
// Don’t do it alone
// Don’t fix the product, fix the approach
// Don’t be afraid to fail
// Experience. Learn. Adapt.